New Research Discloses that Pseudotumor Formation Occurs in Close to 30% of Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants, Parker Waichman LLP Notes
New York, New York (PRWEB) September 24, 2013 -- Parker Waichman LLP, a national law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of victims injured by defective medical devices, reports that, based on new research from a group in The Netherlands, formation of pseudotumors occurs in 28% of metal-on-metal hip implants. As reported on the Sept. 13 edition of the medical news website Healio’s Orthopedics Today, from the period of 2005 through 2010, 129 patients (149 hips) underwent metal-on-metal hip resurfacing surgery with a metal-on-metal femoral head and acetabular shell (four patients ultimately dropped out, however, lowering the study’s final tally to 143 metal hips). After about 41 months, researchers found via CT scans pseudotumors in 39 patients. Seven of them underwent revision surgery because of symptomatic pseudotumors. Ten patients with pseudotumors complained of groin pain, the presence of a noticeable mass or paresthesia (a sensation of tingling, tickling, prickling, pricking, or burning).
“They say knowledge is power, so these findings are helpful for patients with metal-on-metal hip implants,” said Daniel C. Burke, Senior Litigation Counsel at Parker Waichman LLP. “There are numerous lawsuits alleging that an all-metal hip replacement caused pseudotumors, among other serious complications.”
Parker Waichman LLP is currently representing clients in several litigations related to metal-on-metal hip implants, including in multidistrict litigations (MDLs) such as In Re: DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., ASR Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 2197) in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio; and In re: Biomet M2a Magnum Hip Implants Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 2391) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division. Additionally, there is a multicounty litigation (MCL) entitled In Re: Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Stem and ABG II Modular Hip Stem Litigation (MCL No. 296) in New Jersey’s Superior Court of Bergen County.
Metal-on-metal hip devices have been recalled worldwide, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted in a Jan. 17, 2013, recall update. The regulator has put the metal-on-metal class of medical devices under increased scrutiny following reports of high failure rates and the release of elevated concentrations of metallic debris into the bloodstream. Also on Jan. 17, the FDA released new guidelines for patients implanted with all-metal devices. The agency advised they get:
• Regular physical examinations,
• Diagnostic imaging, and
• Metal ion testing conducted in symptomatic patients.
Additionally, new data from Canada suggests that people implanted with metal-on-metal hips are likelier to require revision surgery within five years of the procedure, according to a July 18 CBC News report. The Canadian Institutes for Health Information report revealed that people with metal-on-metal implants face a 5.9 percent increased likelihood of needing a device replacement within five years of the original implantation; this compares with a 2.7 percent rate among people who received metal-on-plastic implants. The all-metal implant design did not work as expected, CBC News reported. In fact, under the body’s weight during daily activity—such as simply walking—the implant’s metal parts rub against each other. This chafing causes metal particles to shed into the person’s surrounding tissue and bloodstream, causing bone and tissue damage due to metallosis (metal poisoning), as well as pseudotumors and the need for early revision surgery to remove and replace the hip device.
Parker Waichman LLP continues to offer free legal consultations to victims of injuries allegedly caused by metal-on-metal hip implants. If you or a loved one have experienced premature failure of, or other health problems associated with, a metal-on-metal hip implant, please contact their office by visiting the firm's Defective Hip Implant page at yourlawyer.com. Free case evaluations are also available by calling 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636).
Contact:
Parker Waichman LLP
Gary Falkowitz, Managing Attorney
1+ (800) LAW-INFO
1+ (800) 529-4636
http://www.yourlawyer.com
Gary Falkowitz, Parker Waichman LLP, http://yourlawyer.com/, +1 (800) 529-4636, [email protected]
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